Odoo Community vs Enterprise – what’s the right choice for you?

Odoo is a leading open-source ERP software that combines data flexibility and powerful features. It comes in two versions: Odoo Community (free) and Odoo Enterprise (licensed). Whether you’re kickstarting or scaling your company, this article will explain the features, costs, and benefits of each edition to help you choose the best option for you!

Understanding Odoo Community vs Enterprise

The main difference between Odoo Community and Odoo Enterprise is that the first is open-source and free while the second is licensed and shared source. Both editions have different purposes, but the main consideration when comparing Community and Enterprise is price. Here’s what you need to know:

Odoo Enterprise is paid (but all-inclusive)

Odoo Enterprise has annual licensing fees and will be more expensive from the get-go, however, you pay for an all-rounded and complete system that includes:

• Out of the box functionalities
• Hosting
• Upgrades and customisation
• Support

Odoo Community is free (but not expense-free)

Odoo Community provides a lot of flexibility if you have everything it takes to support this system in-house. Additional costs may accumulate down the line and you need to be ready to invest in:

• Hosting costs
• Setup and development
• Security measure implementation
• Infrastructure scaling

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer here — it’s all about what best fits your needs. Dive into my comparison guide and see what edition best suits you as an Odoo end-user!

1. Odoo Community vs Odoo Enterprise – Features & Functionality

When comparing Odoo Community and Odoo Enterprise, you need to consider how your daily tasks will be managed. Identify the specific processes and functionalities you need, such as accounting, inventory management, or CRM, and evaluate the modules and user interfaces each edition offers to support these needs.

Odoo Community gives you access to basic essentials like:

Odoo Enterprise fills in the feature gaps by providing all modules that the Community edition has, additional features to these modules, and exclusive apps. On top of that, you also have access to:

• Studio app for easy customization with low / no coding
• Multiple user interfaces, including mobile responsiveness and PWA

Odoo Community’s interface also largely differs from Odoo Enterprise. The Enterprise edition has a dashboard where users can navigate, quick search, and organise their view. Odoo Community does not have a dashboard, but rather opens on the Discuss app and relies on a drop-down menu for navigation.

Bottom line: Odoo Community offers basic, limited functionalities, ideal for testing Odoo when starting out your operations. As you expand, you may find these limitations restrictive, making Odoo Enterprise a better choice with its additional features and improved interface. Bonus point? You can switch editions at any time!

2. Odoo Community vs Odoo Enterprise – Help & Support

Support is another major difference. Odoo Enterprise includes professional support, giving you peace of mind. With Odoo Community, you rely on community support and your own team.

With Odoo Enterprise, you have access to:

• Unlimited functional support
• Helpdesk access
• Guaranteed version updates

With Odoo Community, you rely on:

• Community-driven support forums
• Internal IT resources
• Peer-to-peer solutions

Bottom line: Your choice depends on valuing either complete freedom or the security of round-the-clock support. Odoo Community offers free flexibility but will cost more in time and resources. If you have the skill to manage it in-house with peer support, choose Odoo Community. For support, helpdesk, and upgrades included, choose Odoo Enterprise.

3. Odoo Community vs Enterprise – Customising & Hosting

Odoo Community lets you customise extensively, with access to 18,000+ free, community-driven apps via the Odoo Marketplace. However, you will need the in-house technical skills and hosting, security, and scaling are your responsibility.

When it comes to hosting Odoo Community, you have two options and they are both self-hosted. They both provide a lot of flexibility but should be considered as extra costs when budgeting.

• On premise: this requires you to have the setup for hosting your Odoo system yourself
• Cloud hosting: this requires you to set up your own cloud hosting in any server you want

Odoo Enterprise simplifies your customisation and hosting options as an integrated solution, easing the load on your team. It offers Odoo Studio, a little to no code customisation standard app that allows you to modify UI and reporting. It provides seamless integration with other Odoo apps, provides built-in security & compliance features, and its infrastructure support is great for scaling.

In terms of hosting, Odoo Enterprise gives you various options:

• Odoo Cloud: SaaS hosting based on Odoo online

• Odoo.sh: official Odoo hosting platform
• Dedicated Odoo Hosting: deploying Odoo on your own private server

Bottom line: If you have the technical skills and resources to manage customisation and hosting yourself, Odoo Community is a great option. It provides the freedom to use Odoo as a base and gives you access to thousands of free apps made for and by the community. However, if you want a hassle-free, integrated solution with professional support, built-in security, and easier customisation for growth, Odoo Enterprise is the better choice.

Key takeaways: open-source flexibility vs full features & scalability

If you’re looking for a free and flexible solution to kickstart your operations or test out an ERP system, Odoo Community might be the right option for you. It’s a versatile platform that you can shape to meet your needs.

However, if you need a scalable system with full features that grow with your business, Odoo Enterprise is the way to go. It offers a more integrated, user-friendly experience with ongoing support and updates.

All in all, choosing an Odoo edition is down to your specific needs – including budget, in-house technical skill, and scalability. By carefully considering these factors and evaluating your priorities for an ERP system, you can choose the Odoo edition that best supports your success.